One year ago we decided that Hopkins’ star Blake Hoffarber would be the perfect choice to put on the cover of our Spring 2007/Prep Sports issue of The Minnesota Score magazine. Boy were we right. I spent a couple days meeting, watching, interviewing and getting to know Hoffarber and his family. His uncle, Hopkins coach Ken Novak, and Blake’s grandfather Ken Sr all had nothing but good to say about Blake…When I was talking to Ken Sr, I suggested to him that his grandson reminded me of Joe Mauer….a calm, cool, professional demeanor and an absolute winner. This of course was was two years after he hit the miracle “butt shot” that helped Hopkins to a state championship in 2005. It also led to Hoffarber winning an ESPY for the play of the year in sports…a play that linked he and I as I had the pleasure of calling that game on the radio, a call that ESPN used during the ESPY presentation.
Friday night as I sat in my home office listening to the end of the Gophers/Indiana game I heard the announcers say that Hoffarber was stationed in one corner of the court for the final play of the game. All I could think of was the 2005 state tournhament. Moments later, I knew why. He did it again. Hoffarber should be every kids’s hero in Minnesota today.